


I Have A Latte Feelings To Espresso

by gingerbreadlatte



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkward Stiles Stilinski, Bad Puns, Coffee Shops, Insecure Derek, M/M, Scott is a Good Friend, Slow Build, Writer Derek, gingerbread latte
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-04-08 07:55:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4296786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingerbreadlatte/pseuds/gingerbreadlatte
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Wow, I’d never have guessed that from the whole typing thing or anything. Maybe you could be more specific. By, I don't know, describing what exactly it is that you’re writing”, Stiles paused and then smirked, “Espresso yourself.”<br/>Derek resisted the urge to roll his eyes and grunted, “I don’t drink espressos.”<br/>“Oh really? To be honest I pictured you as the kind of guy who would go for something hard and bitter.”<br/>_____________________________</p><p>A Coffee Shop AU in which Stiles flirts relentlessly with Derek through the use of bad puns and eventually Derek starts to let down his barriers. Misunderstandings occur but bro Scott's there to sort it all out. Sorry, not the best summary in the world, I know, but hey, give it a shot!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An Interruption in the Daily Grind

**Author's Note:**

> I decided I'd try doing a chapter fic. I'll try to update regularly and, as always, kudos and comments are appreciated!

Derek sat alone in his usual spot in the coffee shop. His armchair was old and worn but it was still the most comfortable seat in the shop. He’d been coming here on a daily basis for a few months now, after discovering it situated out of the way down a cobbled side street. The shop didn’t even have a name but the barista, Scott, made the best gingerbread lattes he’d ever tasted.

He’d only found this little gem by accident. He’d been escaping from Laura, who was insisting that he needed to get back out there and start dating someone or, at least, get laid every once in a while.

Well Derek, being the incredibly mature 24 year-old he was, had run away (he wishes this didn’t involve literally running away but his sister could be terrifying, okay?) and found this coffee shop to hide out in for the next few hours.

To his utter delight, he found that, despite its run down appearance, the place was comfortable with a welcoming warmth in the winter cold. Not to mention that it had free WiFi and he didn’t even have to pay Starbucks prices for the coffee. For once, he was glad for his sister’s constant nagging.

You may be wondering why Derek was running from Laura trying to convince him to date again. Well, the thing is, is that, Derek was just fine on his own, thank you very much. Relationships had never ended well for him or the person he was involved with. It was an unfortunate fact that he’d come to accept and eventually come to terms with.

After taking a sip from his cup of heaven, he started up his laptop and opened his latest email from his editor. Derek was a writer, you see. Taking a sip of his gingerbread latte, he set to work responding to all of his editors questions and making notes of her comments so that he could take them into account as he continued with the next chapter.

Before he could do anymore than this, though, he noticed a shadow looming over him. As he raised his head to take in a man with the most engaging brown eyes he had ever seen, Derek subconsciously decided that looming could definitely not be used to describe the slim and well-toned person in front of him. But if it was, then Derek was happy for him to continue doing it for as long as he wanted; the view was certainly welcome.

He feigned coolness and raised an eyebrow.

“Hi. You don’t mind if I sit with you, do you?”, and the man slid into the chair opposite Derek without actually waiting for a response, “Sorry it’s just that I always sit here, you know? This has been where I always sit for about two years now. I don’t think I could bring myself to sit somewhere else. I’m pretty sure that this seat his been moulded to fit the shape of my ass now.”

He chuckled softly and rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously. Derek couldn’t help but noticing what nice hands he had. Those fingers had a certain elegance and would definitely look good positioned on a certain part of Derek’s anatomy-

“Old habits die hard I guess. Oh, I’m Stiles by the way.”

Derek stared at him before shaking his head, as if coming out of a reverie. “Derek”, he grunted.

“Nice to meet you, Derek. What are you doing there?”

“Writing.”

“Wow, I’d never have guessed that from the whole typing thing or anything. Maybe you could be more specific. By, I don't know, describing what exactly it is that you’re writing”, Stiles paused and then smirked, “Espresso yourself.”

Derek resisted the urge to roll his eyes and grunted, “I don’t drink espressos.”

“Oh really? To be honest I pictured you as the kind of guy who would go for something hard and bitter,” Derek choked and Stiles flushed before clearing his throat, “I mean, uh, not you know the flamboyant drinks like frappuccinos. Well, you clearly don’t have a frappuccino there but, uh still, it’s no black coffee or anything. That’s what I’d have pegged you as. A black coffee drinker, I mean. So, uh, what exactly do you have there?”

“Gingerbread latte.”

“You know, you’re allowed to form actual sentences. I’m not sure if anyone made you aware of this but it’s not actually a crime.”

“Really. I had no idea”

“A sentence! An actual sentence. Now we need to work on your punctuation. Nice sarcasm, by the way, but in order for it to have a full effect, I think you should know about this handy little thing called the question mark,” Stiles paused for a second and his eyebrows did a funny little thing that Derek couldn’t understand but really wanted to take the time to learn to, “Wait, you’re writing.”

Derek nodded slowly.

“So you’re a writer? Oh, see what I did there? I used a question mark! Oh, and there’s an exclamation mark. Wait, sorry, let’s not go too quickly. One step at a time and all that. So, writer. Yes or no?”

Derek nodded again, confused.

“We’re doomed! Doomed, I tell you!”

Derek arched one of his own eyebrows questioningly.

“You’re a writer and I have to teach you about the question mark! Next I’ll have to tell an accountant how to use a basic calculator!”

“I know what a question mark is.” Derek huffed.

“Sure you do buddy. Er, I mean Derek.” Damn, it sounded really good when Stiles said his name just then. Imagine what it would sound like if he were moaning it while Derek pou- “

“Sorry. Anyway, I’d better get going. You’re a writer and all and I don’t want to disturb you from whatever mysterious literary masterpiece it is that you’re writing so I’ll let you be. Wait, hold on, what exactly is it that you’re writing. You never did espresso yourself.”

“And with those bad puns I never will.” Derek quipped.

“Oh he jokes! He jokes! Don’t worry, though, Derek, this is definitely not the last you’ll be seeing of me!” and, with a cheeky smile, Stiles grabbed his coffee and walked out of the shop, leaving Derek sitting gaping after him, wondering what the hell had just happened.

—————————————

Later that day when Derek arrived home, Laura gave him a strange look.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Derek scowled and ducked his head, “Nothing.”

Laura clucked her tongue, “Then why are you smiling? You never smile anymore. What happened?”

“I told you it’s nothing. Just some guy at the coffee shop.”

Laura squealed, “Did you get his number?” Derek shook his head, “Did you at least talk to him?”

“A little. It was only for a few minutes. It probably meant nothing.”

“Oh, Der. You’ll see him again. You can really talk to him then. Did you get his name?”

“Stiles”

“Stiles?”

“Yes. His name is Stiles,” Derek confirmed, “And before you ask, no, I have no idea how exactly an actual human being was given a name like that.”

“Well at least it’ll be easy to look him up in the phonebook if you don’t see him again.”

“Yeah because that’s not at all creepy at all, is it?”

“Yeah because you’re not creepy at all, are you?” Laura retorted.

Derek looked affronted, “I am not creepy.”

“Say that to the girls who cross to the other side of the street because of the eyebrow glare you’ve got going on.”

“That does not make me creepy. Creepy is very different to scary. And, anyway, scary is definitely useful. No one hits on me when I’m not in the mood.”

“No one hits on you when you are in the mood.”

“Why are you here? Don’t you have someone else you can go and annoy? This isn’t even your own damn apartment.”

Laura sighed, “But it’s never as fun as with you,” she pouted and Derek tried really hard to think of all the reasons why shoving his sister off her precarious position on the couch was a bad idea.

Number one on the list was that, if she ended up getting hurt not only would he never hear the end of it, but also, he’d probably be the one who had to look after her, and then he’d have to be with her even more than usual.

“This Stiles guy. Do you want to see him again?”

Derek walked over to the couch and sat down next to his sister, “I don’t know. Part of me thinks no, it’ll never be a good idea. I’m better off staying single and keeping out of the way of others.” he paused and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Laura was looking at him with a sympathetic smile. He continued, “Another part of me likes him, though. I mean, uh, we didn’t exactly speak for long but it was nice. And he genuinely didn’t seem to mind my lack of words.”

Laura’s soft smile slowly transformed into a devilish smirk, “And what part of him is it that you like? Oh, wait! Let me guess. I know your type. Skinny, kind of nerdy, really chatty and adorably awkward. Did I get it?”

“Yeah, you did.” Derek admitted, “But you forgot two things.”

Laura’s eyes widened, “No,” she gasped, “Don’t tell me that his hands are good, too? And his lips?!”

Derek nodded resignedly and looked away.

“Oh, baby bro! This is perfect! You have to give it a try. Come on, how often do you come home with not only a smile on your face but a dopey smile at that? And he’s the reason? You’ve got to take a shot. Go for it!”

Derek gritted his teeth, “Even if I somehow managed to convince myself to do that. I probably won’t ever see him again. I’ve been going there for a few months now and I’ve never seen him there before.”

“Well just spend all of your time there. He’s bound to come back eventually, right?”

“Well, uh, he did say that the seat across from me was his spot. So I suppose it’s possible.”

Laura flashed a grin, “Does he like you?”

“I don’t know,” Derek answered honestly, although insecurity laced his tone, “he kept using bad puns and at one point I think he may have made an innuendo about me uh…” Derek blushed and the tips of his ears were tinged with pink. He looked away and willed Laura to move the conversation on past this point.

No such luck.

“About you what?”

Derek didn’t answer.

“Oh my God it was really bad wasn’t it? Derek tell me. You know I’ll find out sooner or later, so it’s just a matter of time.”

Derek scowled and pressed his lips tightly shut, hoping she’d take the hint.

“Think of it as ripping off a band aid. Do it quickly and it’s done and dusted. Nothing more to worry about. What was this ‘innuendo’ about?”

“Me giving a blowjob and, er, loving it.” Derek admitted quietly.

Laura cackled, “Seriously?! Oh my God I have to meet this guy! Was it on purpose? Oh please tell me it was on purpose!”

Derek glared. She didn’t even wilt under his gaze. Damn.

“How should I know? Hell, half of the time I can’t even remember to eat three meals a day or pay my bills on time! Let alone understand the social intricacies otherwise known as flirting.”

Laura rolled her eyes, “No one would ever guess that you were a writer. A Master of the language, writing pieces of the literary soul, yet you can’t even cope with basic human interaction.”

She waved her arms dramatically. Derek had no idea what effect this was supposed to have and all it really did was remind him of Stiles.

“Anyway. you’d better get some beauty sleep. God knows you need it. Even if Stiles does like you, he probably won’t make a move if you keep the ‘I’m going to murder you’ look going on. Oh and practise smiling in front of the mirror! It’ll help to diminish the serial killer look, I promise.”

She then grabbed her coat and waved a hand in the air, probably as a goodbye,but you never could tell with Laura, and walked out of his apartment.

It felt strangely quiet. Derek liked it.

—————————————

Later that night, as Derek lay in bed, he thought about Stiles. He thought about how even though they’d only really spoken for about five minutes, he really wanted to see him again. A soft smile overtook his features as he thought about the man’s energy and enthusiasm, his wit and his sarcasm, his hands flailing everywhere and his lips. Oh, his lips. What Derek would do to those lips.

Derek rolled over and decided that he’d just have to spend all his free time at the coffee shop until Stiles next showed up. It wasn’t like he had a busy social calendar anyway.


	2. Something's Brewing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’ve already used ‘latte’ as a pun once today, Stiles.”  
> “Hey! Don’t judge! Do you have any idea how difficult it is to make coffee puns? The words are all long and Italian. Not a great combinations for puns in English, I’ll have you know. They may be great for Italian humour but I don’t speak Italian so, really, you can’t judge! Seriously, how many words sound like cappuccino or frappuccino or americano?”  
> “How about we make a deal? You make a pun with one of those three and I’ll tell you what I’m writing. Hint. It’s not porn.”  
> “Damn. But okay. We’ve got a deal.”  
> ____________________
> 
> Stiles keeps on stirring Derek up with his puns and dramatic antics and Derek just keeps letting him get further and further in. Bad summary, sorry about that.

A week later, Derek rushed into the coffee shop out of the snow, taking a moment to collect himself and adjust his coat before approaching the counter.

Scott, the bubbly barista, was there just like every other time Derek had come into the shop, “The usual, Derek?”

Derek nodded and Scott busied himself preparing the drink. He never bothered to try and make small talk and for that Derek was grateful; he never saw the point in it.

After he’d paid, he made his way to his usual seat, longing for the feeling of melting into the chair with his cup of gingerbread goodness. He didn’t even check to see if the chair on the other side of the table was free before collapsing into his seat, closing his eyes. He didn’t bother denying himself the moan he felt rising up in his throat at the feeling of bliss coursing through his body upon finally being sat down.

A throat cleared from nearby, “It’s porn isn’t it?”

Derek’s eyes snapped open.

There, in front of him, sat Stiles with a playful smirk hovering on his face. His nose was a faint pink colour, no doubt from the cold weather outside.

Derek flushed, “What’s porn.”

“Seriously you’ve never googled it?” Derek stared, waiting for Stiles to get it.

“Oh, I meant what you’re writing! Probably should have gone with better phrasing. But what better way to start a conversation, eh?”

“I’ll have to withhold my judgement on that one. Sorry. You don’t mind that I’m sitting here, do you.”

Stiles grinned, “Not at all. I’ve got to admit, I’ve bean here a latte this week, hoping that you’d show up.”

Derek groaned, “If it weren’t for the fact that this chair is the comfiest in the shop, I’d move right now.”

“Derek! You wound me! Thy dagger protrudes through my back and thus angers Hades to avenge what destruction was rightfully his. Thy betrayal induces a wretched and fiery, burn-neigh!-an agony deep within my heart. Oh Romeo! Romeo! Where is that son of a bitch to save me?! Honestly, he’s never here when you really need him!”

Naturally, because this was Stiles, hand actions and ridiculous gestures accompanied this tirade   
and Derek couldn’t help but notice several of the other customers openly staring. Some in disdain, others in amusement. The majority just looked how Derek felt: confused.

“What?”

“Oh my gosh, dude! You learned how to use a question mark! We’re going to have to progress with our sessions to the exclamation mark, now that you’ve mastered that particular skill. Oh, that was just some Shakespeare by the way.”

Derek shook his head in bemusement, “Stiles, there is no way in hell down by the fiery pits of Hades himself that what you said there was Shakespeare.”

“I will have you know that what I said was too and there’s no way you can prove otherwise!” Stiles stuck his tongue out and, while the action was incredibly childish, Derek couldn’t help but be a little turned on by the way his mouth opened up to let his tongue through.

Derek coughed and distracted himself with getting his laptop out.

“I take it the fun part of the conversation has come to an end now then?” Stiles pouted and Derek tried not to stare. He failed miserably.

“Sorry. I have a chapter due in by midnight.” Derek flashed Stiles an apologetic grin. 

Stiles didn’t respond and just stared at him.

“Do I have something on my face?”

Stiles shook his head, only marginally less energetically than a dog shaking itself after jumping out of a river, “No sorry. Just zoned out there I guess.” Stiles flushed and then focussed on Derek once more, “Look I’ve got a latte problems and one of them is the fact that you won’t tell me what you’re actually writing. Just tell me, yeah?”

“You’ve already used ‘latte’ as a pun once today, Stiles.”

“Hey! Don’t judge! Do you have any idea how difficult it is to make coffee puns? The words are all long and Italian. Not a great combinations for puns in English, I’ll have you know. They may be great for Italian humour but I don’t speak Italian so, really, you can’t judge! Seriously, how many words sound like cappuccino or frappuccino or americano?”

“How about we make a deal? You make a pun with one of those three and I’ll tell you what I’m writing. Hint. It’s not porn.”

“Damn. But okay. We’ve got a deal.”

Stiles held his hand out and they shook on it. Derek tried to ignore the heat flowing through his hand, spreading warmth through his body like nothing had ever done before. He retracted his hand quickly, before he decided to do something stupid, like ask Stiles on a date.

“Just so you now, I have some ideas brewing but they’ve probably bean used before.”

Derek ignored the bad puns and asked what he’d been wanting to know since Stiles had first spoken, “Why did you think it was porn anyway?”

“Seriously? The first thing you did when you sat down was moan like a freaking porn star. And trust me, I’ve watched enough porn to be able to tell!” the whole shop turned to look at Stiles who waved and laughed awkwardly, “Huh. Maybe I could have said that a little quieter.”

He turned his attention to Derek who had smoothly turned bright red. His current skin tone was easily comparable with a beetroot. 

“So yeah. I’m gonna go and dig a hole for me to spend the rest of my life in. Although it can’t really get much worse than this. I’ll see you around, yeah? Or maybe not if you don’t ever want to see me again. Which I’ll totally understand, by the way.”

Stiles grabbed his coat and fled the shop before Derek could even form a coherent enough thought to form a sentence.

Stiles thought he had moaned like a porn star.

The thought kept repeating itself like a mantra in Derek’s head, refusing to let his blush fade.

Eventually, sanity seemed to return to him and he noticed that Stiles had left his scarf and wallet there on the table in his hurry to leave.

Derek really didn’t want to act like a creep but he knew that this was the perfect way to get Stiles’s number and another meeting.

He reached across the table and took them both, stowing away the scarf in his bag and putting the wallet next to his own, in his jacket pocket.

He then left the coffee shop, trying to ignore Scott’s knowing smirk. Was he really that obvious?

————————————

“Yes, baby bro, you probably were that obvious. Most people would just hand the scarf and wallet in at the counter.”

Derek huffed and glared at the blank wall in front of him before speaking into the phone, “Don’t even try to pretend that you wouldn’t have done the same thing.”

“Of course I would have, Der-bear, but I wouldn’t have cared about being obvious. The only way that you’ll make any progress is by making it clear what you want.”

“But I don’t know what I want!”

“I think we both know that’s a lie. Now I have to go; unlike you, I have friends I meet with on a regular basis.”

“Hey! I saw Erica and Boyd last week!”

“And was that voluntarily?”

Derek’s shoulders sagged, “No.”

“See? Anyway, I can’t possibly delay you from your plan to win Stiles’s heart through awkward text conversations and returning a scarf.”

“How do you know that the text conversations will be awkward? I can be smooth.” Derek protested.

“Do you even hear yourself right now? Nice try, baby bro. But seriously, I have to go. Bye.”

She hung up before Derek could even respond with a sarcastic retort.

————————————

Derek was sitting at his desk, staring at the phone laying there on top of it, oh so innocently. It had been a few hours since he’d spoken to Laura on the phone and he still hadn’t plucked up the courage to text, let alone call, Stiles.

Logically, he knew that it couldn’t be that difficult. Hell, Stiles would probably be grateful that Derek had taken them to ensure their safety.

Well, that’s what he’d think. It’s not like Derek was going to tell him that it had just been so that he had another excuse to talk to the man.

No because that would be pathetic. Derek couldn’t show his true colours just yet.

He thought about the two encounters he’d had with Stiles so far. He thought about how the other man had captured his attention with his energy and rambling, yet somehow adorable, speeches.

A wave of determination overcame him and he picked up his phone and cross-checked the number he was sending the message to five times before typing a quick message and texting Stiles before he could chicken out. Again.

Hi this is Derek from the coffee shop. You left your scarf and wallet today so I picked them up for you.

He breathed deeply through his nose and willed the panic swirling around in his chest to not rise up through his throat.

His phone pinged.

Oh thank god! I was so worried. When are you free to meet up?

Derek was already feeling awkward. Was it too eager to say tomorrow? He knew that most people pretended that they were busy for a few days.

Wait, this wasn’t a date. This was just giving Stiles back his wallet. He shouldn’t be freaking out about this.

Tomorrow okay for you?

Absolutely! I’ll meet you in the coffee shop at around 10?

Morning or evening?

Derek felt like an idiot just asking the question but he felt the need to double check anyway.

Morning haha :)

Wow. Stiles had just sent him a smiley face. Was he supposed to reciprocate? Damn. He should have called Laura over to help him with this. Getting through this conversation was probably worth the humiliation his sister would put him through for the rest of his life.

Shit. Stiles was worth that. Derek was in way deeper than he ever wanted to be already.

Just checking :)

Derek deliberated before sending the message, complete with a smiley face, and waiting anxiously for a response.

Don’t worry about it. Hey sorry but I’ve gotta go. I’ve got class early tomorrow morning. Night Derek :)

Goodnight, Stiles.

Of course you use proper punctuation in text messages *rolls eyes and sighs simultaneously*

I thought you said you had to go?  
Yeah, sorry I do. Congrats on the continued use of the question marks, man. I’m proud of you.

Derek snorted and decided to call it a night for himself too.

He fell asleep with a smile on his face, with Stiles’s scarf pressed up against his cheek.

————————————

Derek was sitting sipping on his gingerbread latte when Stiles came rushing into the coffee shop, wild-eyed and out of breath.

Apparently Scott had already known that he’d be coming in, as he handed Stiles a coffee he’d had waiting on the side. Huh. Derek didn’t know what to do with that information.

Stiles rushed over and took his usual seat across from Derek, who had already placed the scarf and wallet on the table.

“Oh my gosh, thank you so much, man. Seriously I’d be so screwed without you! I already had to go through convincing the university security that I really was a student before they let me through. I was nearly late to class and believe me when I tell you that Professor Old-Hag is not someone you can be late for. I had to run, Derek! Do I look like the kind of guy who can run in the mornings without a cup of coffee? I hadn’t had any yet and I- ugh”

He broke off his hysterical rant and waved his arms in the air. Derek wasn’t quite sure what this was supposed to achieve so he just looked pointedly at the coffee cup clutched in Stiles’s hands.

“Oh, yeah, thanks man. Sometimes I just go off you know? Bad habit. Sorry. About the rambling. I know you don’t really like talking so, yeah.”

“Just because I don’t talk much doesn’t mean that I don’t like listening to others.” Derek admitted, refusing to make eye contact with Stiles.

“Wait. So. Do you, um, do you like listening to me talk?”

Derek nodded, scared of what would come out if he actually spoke right now. This was the closest he got to admitting he liked someone for years. It was terrifying.

But it was all worth it though because Stiles beamed. He full on beamed and the sight took Derek’s breath away. He felt his own lips tugging upwards in response.

“Aww, dude. You’ll make me blush!”

“Shut up.”

“No, seriously. This calls for celebration. I shall return with cake. As I am not only the knight in shining armour, saving the poor damsel writer in distress, but I also feed said damsel! For I am Stiles. Knight of the Unnamed Coffee Shop down the Unnamed cobbled side street of doom that I’m surprised nobody’s sprained their ankle on yet.”

Stiles stood up from the table and rushed over the counter.

After a few seconds of gaping like a fish, he called after him indignantly, “Did you just call me a damsel?!”

“Yeah. It suits you, dude. Hope you don’t feel too emasculated but, with stubble like that, I doubt that’s ever a problem for you.”

Derek wasn’t quite sure how to respond so he kept quiet. He couldn’t even pretend to do something else, though. He hadn’t bothered to bring his laptop with him today.

Stiles slid into the seat in front of him with a large slice of lemon drizzle cake and two forks.

“I managed to convince Scott to give us the biggest slice. What a bro. Oh, you do like lemon drizzle cake right? Because I’m not sure that we can be friends if you don’t.”

Derek boldly lay a hand on top of Stiles’s and squeezed it slightly. He suddenly felt slightly too hot, “Stiles, relax. Lemon drizzle cake is my favourite. Shortly followed by coffee cake. And then caramel chocolate brownies.”

Stiles’s shoulders sagged in relief, “Woah you had me worried there. So how much cake do you eat then? With a body like yours I’d have said none but from that answer I think it may be slightly more than that.”

“I like baking,” Derek admitted softly, “And I love working out too. The two kind of go hand in hand.”

Stiles stared at him openly, “You like baking?”

“Yeah. You know, just because someone wears leather jackets and liked to work out, doesn’t mean they can’t appreciate the fine art of baking, Stiles” Derek retorted.

“Fuck. How are you real?” At Derek’s questioning gaze, he quickly continued with, “I didn’t mean it like a bad thing man. Hey eat up.” Stiles helped himself to a mouthful of cake before continuing, “Bake for me cake any time you want. You can buy pretty much anything from me just with cake. I’m a disaster in the kitchen so I’d definitely appreciate your skills.”

Derek flushed and withdrew his hand to take a bit of cake before Stiles ate it all himself.

“Anyway, I’ve probably had my fair share of cake now and I’m nothing if not a gentleman so you can have the rest. While you’re eating though, I’m going to tell you a bit about of my life since I’ve just realised you hardly know anything about me.”

Stiles paused, as if waiting for Derek to argue. When Derek just nodded his consent, he continued, “My real name isn’t Stiles. It’s a nickname. My grandparents are actually Polish so they insisted on giving me a monstrosity of a name that no one else in Northern America can actually pronounce. I’m 21 years old and I’m a history major at college. I love reading so I really want to look at what you’re writing some time and if I don’t get at least one cup of coffee down me in the morning, I’ll be in a terrible mood for the rest of the day.”

Suddenly Stiles’s phone started ringing and he answered it straight away, sending an apologetic glance Derek’s way. Derek forced himself not to listen in.

A moment later, Stiles was grabbing his bag, “I’m really sorry but I’ve got to go. Emergency meeting with my tutor. But this was really fun and I really think that we should do it again some time?”

Derek nodded and continued eating cake.

“Same time tomorrow?”

“Sure.”  
“Okay! See you then!” Stiles left the coffee shop, leaving Derek feeling like he was walking on air.

He couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case you were wondering, there'll probably be two or three more chapters. :)


	3. Grinding to a Halt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last two weeks had flown by. Derek had met with Stiles in the coffee shop every day since he gave him back his wallet and scarf and he couldn’t be happier.  
> He’d finally broken all of this to his sister on the phone last night, and asked her to come along with him today to meet Stiles.
> 
> -
> 
> Derek brings Laura along to meet Stiles but misunderstandings occur.

The last two weeks had flown by. Derek had met with Stiles in the coffee shop every day since he gave him back his wallet and scarf and he couldn’t be happier.

He’d finally broken all of this to his sister on the phone last night, and asked her to come along with him today to meet Stiles.

To say he was nervous would be an understatement. Laura was a really good judge of character. She’d sussed out all of Derek’s ex-girlfriends within minutes so if she didn’t like Stiles then there would be a good reason why. Derek wasn’t sure how he’d cope if she didn’t approve of Stiles.

He and Laura had arrived at the coffee shop five minutes before he and Stiles were supposed to meet and he was jiggling with nerves.

Scott had given him a strange look when he’d walked in with Laura but he’d shrugged it off; Derek had never really understood the barista’s behaviour.

“So, baby bro, what’s he look like?” Laura asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

“Come on, Laura, don’t do this to me. You’ll see him soon enough anyway.” Derek pouted and Laura laughed at him.

“Aw you’re nervous! That’s adorable, Der. Don’t worry, though, I’m sure it’ll all go fine. Stiles sounds great.” She leaned across and gave him a reassuring kiss on the cheek.

Derek smiled softly, “I hope so.” he said quietly. He looked down at his hands which clutching one another tightly.

A few moments passed before Derek checked the time on his phone.

“He’s late. He’s never late. Not once has he ever been late, Laura! What if something’s happened?” Derek paused, a look of dread spreading across his features as an idea popped into his head. His heart plummeted, “What if he doesn’t want to see me anymore?”

Laura squeezed his hands tightly in hers, “I’m sure he’s just late. Maybe his class overran?”

Derek closed his eyes and willed himself to calm down, before Scott’s furious voice broke his thoughts, “How could you do this to him, Derek? What’s wrong with you? You’re an asshole!”

Derek gaped.

“What was that about?”

“I have no idea.” Derek answered truthfully.

“Well let’s stick around for a bit longer. He could still turn up.”

Derek sighed, “I doubt it. I knew he was too good for me.”

Laura’s eyes flashed with anger, “No! Don’t you dare say that to me, Derek Hale. You are a good person and if he can’t even see that then that’s his fault. Do you hear me? No one is too good for you.”

Derek blinked away the tears in his eyes and shook his head, “No it’s okay, Laura. Look, I need to go. I’ll see you later.”

Then he got up and left quickly, abandoning his coffee. He just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.

—————————————

Three days later, Derek was sitting in what used to be his favourite coffee shop reading through the emails from his editor again. For the first time ever, he was sitting in the chair that Stiles had claimed so that he could see who came and went through the door.

His coffee was disgusting. Scott had seen to that. It was bitter and, even though he’d paid extra for it, he’d received no gingerbread syrup or whipped cream.

Stiles had been ignoring his calls and his texts and Derek really didn’t know what to do. He was miserable.

Every time the door pinged as it was opened, Derek looked up to see who the new person was, only to be disappointed each time.

He sighed, returning his attention to his laptop and attempted to write something that didn’t sound like it had come from a three year-old. He wasn’t sure he succeeded and, judging from his editor’s emails, she wasn’t sure either.

—————————————

This routine continued for several days before Scott finally came and sat down with him.

“I don’t get it, dude. Why are you still here?”

Derek looked up at him, “Isn’t it obvious? I want to see Stiles.” Derek really wished his voice hadn’t cracked.

Scott gave him an indecipherable look, “I really don’t understand you, dude. You look so broken up. Liked you actually liked Stiles.”

“I did! I do. Fuck. I don’t even know what happened. Did I move too fast? Fuck, I know I shouldn’t have brought Laura along to meet him.” Derek covered his face with his hands briefly.

“Laura?” Scott sounded confused.

“My sister. I, just, I know it’s too much pressure but I needed her to check that she thought that Stiles would be good for me. I’m a terrible judge of character but she’s not. My old girlfriends, they really hurt me so now I get Laura to meet everyone I’m interested in before it gets too serious.”

Scott was starting to smile slightly, “So, just to be sure, that girl who was in here with you the other week was your sister?”

Derek rolled his eyes, “Yes, Scott. Everyone always comments on how we look really similar.”

“Dude!”

Derek raised his eyebrows in shock.

“I thought she was your girlfriend! That’s why I made you shitty coffee for a week. Shit. Stiles, he…” Scott’s eyes widened, but before he could continue, Derek cut him off.

“Wait, you know Stiles?As in know him, know him?”

Scott scoffed, “Well, yeah. I’m his roommate. He’s my best bro.”

“Is he okay? Did he mention what I did wrong? Do you think I’ll be able to win him back? Please, Scott! I…” Derek trailed off, “I really like him.” He finished lamely.

“Shit. Derek. Come back tomorrow. Promise me you’ll come back tomorrow, yeah?”

Derek looked at him in confusion.

“Just trust me, okay?”

Derek nodded dumbly and watched as Scott bounced away with more enthusiasm that he’d seen from the barista for at least a week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about this chapter being so short but there's just one more left to write now. I'll probably get round to posting it some point next week and don't worry; I am a firm believer in happy endings! 
> 
> Let me know if there are any mistakes :)


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